L.A. CITY COUNCIL PAYS TRIBUTE TO DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER J. MICHAEL HAGOPIAN DURING GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION

Asbarez
May 10th, 2010
LOS ANGELES

City Councilmembers Paul Krekorian and Eric Garcetti, with Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles City Council, commemorated
the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 23 with a
special presentation in Council Chambers that paid recognition to
Dr. J Michael Hagopian, 96, one of the few remaining survivors of
the Armenian Genocide.

The founder and chair of the Armenian Film Foundation, Dr. Hagopian
has dedicated his life to the visual documentation of the Turkish
extermination of 1.5 million Armenians in 1915. His work includes
nearly 400 filmed interviews of Armenian Genocide survivors and
witnesses and over 40 years of personal research.

"Through his life and career, Dr. J Michael Hagopian is proof that
a single person can change humankind’s understanding of itself,"
said Councilmember Krekorian, the first Armenian-American to ever
sit on the Los Angeles City Council. "He is proof that we can rise
above intolerance and ensure future generations are armed with the
information needed to combat bigotry in all forms. I am proud to stand
with him today and honor the memory of the 1.5 million innocents who
were so horrifically taken from this world, but who continue to speak
through the life’s work of J. Michael Hagopian."

Aida Dimejian, chairwoman of the Armenian National Committee’s Western
Region, who spoke during a reception held before the presentation
in City Council chambers, said that J. Michael Hagopian is the only
individual to have received the organization’s prestigious ANC Man
of the Year award twice, once in 1984 and again in 2000.

"Today when we see the House Foreign Affairs Committee vote to reaffirm
the truth of the Armenian Genocide against a shameful denialist
campaign that has continued for over 95 years, or when we look up
at billboards throughout this city and see the "Truth Will Prevail"
in bold letters next to a photo of a genocide survivor, we need look
no further than to Dr. J. Michael Hagopian as the inspiration for
that call for truth, dignity and justice in our land," she said. "His
life’s work stands as inspiration to us all."

The reception and commemoration was attended by many Armenian-American
community dignitaries and leaders, including Armenian Consul General
Grigor Hovhannisian, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian of the Western
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, Archbishop Vatche
Hovsepian of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of
North America and representatives of the Armenian National Committee,
the Armenian Council of America, the Armenian Professional Society,
the Armenian Relief Society and many other organizations.